A first-generation college graduate raised by a single mother, Rosemary has proven that disadvantaged students also have the ability to succeed in their education having graduated with honors cum laude from the University of California, Los Angeles. Raised alongside numerous family members and having to share clothes with her cousins, she still recognized the need to help those in dire assistance. Rosemary founded “Bariguitas Felices” (Happy Tummies), an organization that provides necessities like food and clothing, educational resources, and mentorship to young orphans. She realized then that these children were not just thankful for food, but for the time, the care and the compassion. It was this experience that inspired her to apply to the UCLA Law Fellows Program, which piqued her interest in pursuing a legal career. The program helped her envision how a law career could position her to advocate and fight for people who are marginalized, underrepresented, and misunderstood because of stereotypes and circumstances beyond their control. 

Rosemary continues to break cultural and social barriers for Latina women, as she has begun the pursuit of her JD at Southwestern Law School, where she looks forward to using her legal education and personal experiences with the youth in Colombia to empower her community and change the stigma surrounding the Latinx community.